


this small world

by dansunedisco



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Background Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Crushes, F/F, Gen, Hopeful Ending, Kid Fic, Minor Character Death, Mutual Pining, Past Stiles Stilinski/Malia Tate, Pining, Single Parent Malia Tate, Teacher Kira Yukimura
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-28
Updated: 2015-07-28
Packaged: 2018-04-11 15:58:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4442048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dansunedisco/pseuds/dansunedisco
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Malia has a crush on her niece's teacher.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Written for the Single Parent/Teacher AU prompt.</p>
            </blockquote>





	this small world

**Author's Note:**

> Tagged both "open ending" and "hopeful ending" because I feel like I ended this ficlet on a hopeful note, but Malia's crush isn't exactly resolved. :D

“Malia,” Sam whined, tugging at her aunt’s hand. “We’re gonna be late for the talent show!” 

“I know, I know, gimme a second,” Malia replied, and smoothed down her hair. She did a final check on herself in the mirror -- respectable, Lydia-approved shirt; cute shorts and shoes -- and smiled faintly. Now, all she had to do was drive her and Sam to the school, walk through the theater doors, and _not_ ogle Sam’s teacher like a creeper. “C'mon, kid. Let’s go.”

The drive to the school was uneventful, though Sam speed-talked the entire time about her act. Malia had sat through dress rehearsals enough times that she could probably perform the damn thing herself, but watching Sam bob around in her ladybug costume -- well, it was mighty cute. And a little sad, and strange, because Malia hadn’t ever thought she’d be the one taking care of her sister’s daughter beyond babysitting duty. _Almost two years since the accident_ , she thought with a frown, hands tightening on the wheel. The anniversary was next month.

The theater was already packed, and Malia had barely let go of Sam’s hand before she darted to the stage stairs where Ms. Yukimura (“Oh jeez. Please, call me Kira!”) was standing with a clipboard, sunny smile on her beautiful face. Malia watched as Sam talked animatedly for a moment before pointing right at Malia, and Kira’s gaze, which had been intently on Sam, flicked up to meet Malia’s. Kira’s smile brightened then, or maybe it was the trick of the light, but Malia found herself smiling and raising a hand in response anyway. 

“Is this where I start singing ‘U Got It Bad’?” It was Stiles, slinking out of the shadows. His husband -- and Malia’s cousin, though that was a recent discovery -- was already seated in the middle rows. She and Stiles had date very briefly in high school, a fact they often laughed about years later. 

Malia elbowed him right in the ribs. “Shut it, Stilinski.” 

“It’s Mr. Stilinski-Hale now, but I’ll let is slide today,” he replied cheekily, rubbing his side. “So -- when are you gonna put the moves on Ms. Yukimura?” 

“She’s my kid’s teacher,” she said, annoyed that her affections were so transparent. Though, she supposed, her weird crush on Kira had allegedly been the PTA’s number one talking point three months running. “I know it’s not against the rules, but… I don’t want to confuse Sam.” She read it somewhere -- after she got custody -- that it was important to maintain long-lasting relationships, and to avoid introducing people who weren’t serious about staying. Kira was already in Sam’s life in a big way, and Malia wasn’t entirely sure on what to do beyond pretending nothing was amiss.

Stiles’ teasing look softened. “Let’s grab a seat.”

The show was -- well, it was okay. And by "okay", she really meant "terrible". All the parents were eating it up, though, shuffling out of their seats with cameras in hand to videotape their precious kids sing off-key and dance without much talent or rhythm. Malia’s heart clenched, thinking about all the things her little sister was missing out on. When Sam’s group came on, she dutifully slinked out of her seat with her iPhone and recorded the entire thing. She gave Sam a huge smile and a thumbs-up before she scampered off when it ended, and flushed, a little embarrassed, when she caught Kira watching her intently from the wings. 

Sam rushed her after the show wrapped and the rest of the kids released into the wild, throwing her arms around Malia with an excited yell. “Talent shows are so cool! Ms. Yukimura said we were awesome!”

“You were totally awesome,” Malia agreed, plucking the ladybug antenna hairband off Sam’s head before it could fall. The both of them -- mostly Malia, though -- had spent an entire weekend sewing and hot gluing Sam’s costume together. "You ready to go home?" 

"Can I say bye first?"

Malia nodded, and Sam darted back into the sea of kids.

"Hey Malia," Kira said, popping up at Malia's elbow like a shadow a moment later. “Did you enjoy the show?” 

“Yeah! Yeah, it was great. Everyone was -- really cute,” she finished lamely. Kira looked like she was about to say something more, a strangely hesitant look on her face, but the moment between them was broken by Sam running back through the crowd, once again launching herself at Malia’s knees.

“Oof,” Malia grunted, dropping a steadying hand on Sam’s shoulder so the both of them wouldn’t be bowled over. To Kira, “Ugh, sorry. I guess that’s my cue.” 

Kira nodded, looking almost disappointed. “I’ll see you next week?” 

“Yup. Kiss and ride duty on Wednesday,” she said, and threw a wave over her shoulder as Sam tugged her out the double doors.

The ride home was quiet, Sam descending into a gloomy mood almost as soon as Malia started the engine. She tried to ask her niece questions, silly things to perk her up, but she suspected Sam was thinking about her parents now and not much could break her melancholy. The sadness came in waves, sometimes completely out of the blue, but more often in the quiet hours after happy moments. Malia felt the loss deeply, too, and they cuddled on the couch when they got home, Frozen playing in the background, until Sam could barely keep her head up. 

“You should ask Ms. Yukimura on a date,” Sam murmured, voice fuzzy with sleep, when Malia finally mustered the resolve to bring her to bed. “She’s really nice.” 

“She is,” Malia whispered, brushing Sam’s hair back. 

“And she likes you.” Sam blinked up at her. “Then we can be a family.”

Malia scrounged up a smile. She knew their life together wasn’t perfect, but they were happy -- even if it meant Malia had to feel lonely from time to time. “We already are,” she said firmly. “I love you.”

“Love you, too.”

Malia stayed until Sam drifted off. She went straight to her liquor cabinet for two fingers of whiskey afterwards, finally letting herself reel from the honesty in Sam’s request. She whispered a toast to her sister before taking a long sip. Wednesday was only a few days away, she thought. Maybe then she’d make moves to give Sam the family she wanted, but until then -- they were enough for each other. They’d have to be.


End file.
